Method of applying decoration to glass and the resulting product



Feb. 21, 1933. REINHQLD 1,898,745

METHOD OF APPLYING DECORATION TO GLASS AND THE RESULTING PRODUCT FiledMay 4, 1931 I N I EN TOR. Edward D. Pe/nho/d BY W gma;

A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED V sra'rss PATENT OFFICE EDWARD D.REINI-IOLD; 0F CDOSTER, NEW JERSEY METHOD OF APPLYING DECORATION TOGLASS AND THE RESD'LTING PRODUCT a lic tion filed May 4,

This invention is a method of applying decoration to glass and whileadapted for use upon glass generally is particularly intended to be usedin the decoration of mir- 5 rors.

0 become unsightly. The most common practice in this connect-ion is tocover the mirrors with fine gauze or netting, although in manyinstances, mirrors have been covered with a coating of powdered chalk.applied wet and permitted to dry, so as to have a frosted elfect.According to either of these former modes of procedure, the resultingappearance of the mirror is less attractive than if it were leftuncovered and in its natural state.

The object of the present invention is to properly cover the face of themirror or other sheet of glass in a manner to enhance its appearance andrender the mirror surface susceptible of ornate advertising.

An important factor is the present invention resides in the fact thatthe covering which I employ cannot possibly do any damage to the surfaceof the glass and while apparently permanent in its nature may be readilyremoved by merely rubbing off the cover ing with a soft, preferablymoist, cloth. The materials used for the coating and decoration are suchthat they will not scratch the glass, but the bond between the glass andits covering and decoration will be such as to maintain the decorationin place until it is manually removed. Ornate decoration, ad-

vertising, lettering, and the use of words,

characters or symbols may be applied to the glass surface in athoroughly practical 1na11- ner and may be removed with ease andexpedition when desired."

Speaking generally, the method of this i11- vention consists infirst-applying to the sur- 1931. Serial No. 534,930.

face of the glass a solution of soap powder,

epsom salts or similar material in wet form.

to give very satisfactory results for this socalled ground coat. Afterthe ground coat has dried, the decoration is applied and for theapplication of such decoration, I preferably employ water colors or showcard colors with which I mix prior to application a portion of thematerial ofwhich the ground coat is constituted and I apply the desireddecoration with thismixture' directly to the ground coat by stencilorbrush application as may bemost convenient under the circumstances.The resulting product to which the present invention is also directedcomprises a sheet of glass, the face of which is. covered with a groundcoat on which is super-' imposed decorative matter comprising the.desired coloring material preferably including as a constituent materialfrom which the ground coat is formed.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawlng. 1

The accompanying drawing lllustrates one practical embodiment oftheinvention, but

the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative,only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view of a mirror'emboclying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the mirror shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a sheet of glass, the back ofwhich may be silvered to form amirror. The glass is shown as mounted ina frame 2 in which it is held in place by means'of brads 3. This isconventional mirror construction and forms no part of the presentinvention other than it provides a suitable backing for the coatings tobe applied thereto as hereinafter described.

In practicing the present invention on a mirror of this conventionalform, I first apply 7 to the face of the glass 1 a so-called groundcoat. This ground coat may comprise epsom salts, soap powder or anyother suitable material which may be applied in liquid form and whichwill dry into a white thin film, adhering to the glass with suflicienttenacity to preclude it from falling off or blowing off. but which willnevertheless be sufiiciently easily removable that it can be taken offwith a soft cloth. The material used for this ground coat should belacking in grit. and should not be of such abrasive character that itwill scratch the mirror during removal. It is preferably put on in itsnaturalwhite form, although if desired it may be tinted prior toapplication without departing from the invention.

WVhen any of the materials to which I have referred are applied to thesurface of the glass in the form of a solution, the water of saidsolution quickly evaporates or dries off leaving deposited upon thesurface of the glass the solid materials thereof in the form of apowdery coating which, as stated, has slight adhesion with the surfaceof the glass. This adhesion as stated will preclude inadvertentdisplacement of the powdery material, but is of such slight characterthat the material is readily rubbed'otfwith a soft cloth when it isdesired to remove the same.

It has heretofore been suggested to affix materials to glass surfaces bymeans of various gums, varnishes, etc., which dry into afirm'permanentcoating which can only be removed with great difliculty and generallyrequire the use of suitable solvents of a character which will damagewood finishes such as are frequently used onmirror frames. The presentinvention should not be confused with permanent coatings, such as thoseto which I have referred as the powdery protective coating of thisinvention is in no sense permanent and in contradistinction to priorpractice employing gums and varnishes, the coating of this invention maybe readily removed when desired.

I have found that a Very satisfactory ground coat may be made by wettingbon ami and applying the same with a soft cloth, brush or sponge to theface of the glass 1. Through the medium of application, the nature ofthe ground coat may be varied somewhat so as to give a cracked ice,stippled or mottled effect when the ground coat dries. Upon drying theground coat is in the form of a relatively thin film which completelycovers the surface of the glass and adheres thereto with suflicientadhesion to form a proper background for the decorative matter to beapplied thereto.

After the ground coat is thoroughly dried, I next superimposeupon thisground coat the desired ornamentation which may partake of differentforms and may be in the nature of advertising matter or may conveyseasons greetings. This decorative matter be it in the nature of letter,word, symbol or pictoral illustration may be applied by brush or stencilor in any other suitable way, but I preferably sketch a layout on theground coat and then apply the decoration by way of a brush through theuse of water color or showcard colors and these colors are applieddirectly to the ground coat. The color should be applied in a conditionwherein they will be as dry as possible, so as not to unduly loosen theground coat from the glass, and I have found that the application ofthese colors will be materially facilitated if into the color is mixed aportion of the material constituting the ground coat. For example, inapplying the water color some bon ami is mixed into the water color andonlv so much water is required as to make the color workable. Instead ofusing water colors I may, however, use bronze, gilt or similar powdersin the solution of mucilage or the like as a binder and vehicle. Viththis solution may be mixed some of the ma terial of the ground coat.

I call particular attention to the fact that;

the ground coat is interposed between actual decorative subject matterand the face of the mirror and forms a protective covering so thatduring the application of the color or other decoration scratching ofthe mirror cannot result. Furthermore, colors'of certain of the kindsreferred to would adhere to the surface of the glass so tenaciously thatit would be extremely difiicult to remove them, this being particularlythe case with metallic powders applied with mucilage. With theinterposed ground coat, however, the decorative subject matter does notadhere to the material at all except through the intermediarv of theground coat and consequently the whole can be readily removed whendesired by the use of a soft, preferably moist. cloth.

In the drawing, the ground coat is designated by the reference characterat while the decorative matter is indicated by the reference numeral Thepresent invention fulfills a long felt want in the art to which itrelates. It provides for the utilization of a mirror or other glasssurface as an advertising space and renders decorative and usefulsurfaces which have heretofore been considered impractical foradvertising purposes. It provides for the application of desirableindicia to glass surfaces without tenacious adhesion thereto and in amanner which will permit the subject matter to be readily removed whendesired without scratching or in anywise detrimentally; affecting thesurface to which it had been applied. It provides, moreover,

that mirror surfaces may be properly and efficiently covered during thesummer season by decorative subject matter where heretofore nothing ofthis sort was known or reco nized.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in itspreferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fullycommensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a sheet of glass, one face of whichis covered by a film-like coating of soap powder whereby said protectivecoating is readily removable, and decorative matter applied in film formto the protective coating, said film of decorathe matter embodying as aconstituent the same material embodied in the protective coating.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a sheet of glass, the normallyexposed face'of which is provided with a powdery film-like protectivecoating, and decorative matter applied in film form to the protectivecoating, said film of decorative matter embodying as a constituent thesame material as embodied in the protective coating.

As a new article of manufacture, a sheet of glass, the normally exposedface of which is provided with a powdery film-like protective coating,and decorative matter applied in film form to the protective coatin 4.As a new article of manufacture, a sheet of glass, the normally exposedface of which is covered by a powdery film-like coating of opaquematerial adapt-ed to be readily removable without the employment ofsolvents, and decorative matter applied in film form to said protectivecoating.

5. The herein described method of applying decoration to glass surfaces,which consists in first applying to the normally exposed surface of theglass a solution of bon ami, thereupon permitting said solution to dryto form over the surface of the glass a ground coat which is readilyremovable, and thereupon superimposing decorative subject matter on theground coat.

6. The herein described method of applying decoration to glass surfaces,which consists in applying to the normally exposed surface of the glassa wet film-like coating of material, which when dried will leave apowdery residue, permitting the said film to dry to form over thesurface of the glass a readily removable powdery ground coating, andthereupon superimposing upon said ground coating decorative subjectmatter.

7. T he herein described method of applying decoration to glasssurfaces, which consists in applying to the normally exposed surface ofthe glass a wet film-like coating

